Combined wall and desk telephone set



y 15, 1952 'r. c. RIEBE 2,603,719

COMBINED WALL AND DESK TELEPHONE SET Filed Sept. 13, 1950 t 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. THEODORE C. RIEBE ATTQRNEY July 15, 1952 Filed Sept. 13 1950 T. c. RIEBE 2,603,719

COMBINED WALL AND DESK TELEPHONE SET 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. THEODORE C. RIEBE ATTORNEY y .15, 1952 T. c. RIEBE 2,603,719

COMBINED WALL AND DESK TELEPHONE SET Filed Sept. 13, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 9

IN VEN TOR. THEODORE C. RIEBE ATTORNEY July 15, 1952 'r. c. RIEBE 2,603,719

I I COMBINED WALL AND DESK TELEPHONE SET Filed Sept. 15, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. l2

IN VEN TOR. THEODORE C. RIEBE ATTORNEY y 1952 T. c. RIEBE 2,603,719

COMBINED WALL AND DESK TELEPHONE SET Filed Sept. 13, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A INVENTOR. THEODORE C. RIEBE ATTORNEY Patented July 15, 1952 U TED [STA 12,603,719 v COMBINED WALL DE SKQTE'LEPHONE TheodoreCf'Riebe; Chicago, llla -as'signor to :Au-'

tomatic Electric Laboratories, lnc fi flhicago.

Ill.',;a corporation of Delaware Application September 13,1951). Serial No; 184,585

' This invention" relates 'inigen'eral to telephone instruments and more 'pa'rticularlyfitoi a" telephone' instrument'of the combination desk or table mounting type and wall mounting'type,

One object of this invention is toprovide an itself into its normal resting position 'o-n'the base thereof due to the action of gravity on the hand- 5 setafter being placed in approximately the normalp'osition on the base.

Another object of thisinvention' is to 'provide a desk mounting telephone set whereof the handset will tend to guide itself into its'normal resting position on the base thereof due 'to the action'of gravity on the-handset after being'jplaced in approximately the normal position on the base and whereof the handset in movingf-roml'the approximately normal resting-positioninto which it has been placed by the user *to' the normal positionfiresponsive to gravity locks itself into the normal'position and also operates the telephone hooksw-itch.

"Theinvention will appear more-c'1'ear1y,-and

' further objects will become apparent,' from the 'following detailed descriptionwhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; showing by way of example; a preferredembodiment of the inventive idea.

:Figure 1 is a top view of -the base of thetfelephone set.

' Fig. v2 .isa bottom view of-the base.

Fig. 3i.is'an end view of the base looking from the left in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end' view of the base looking from the right in'Fig. .1.

.Fig. .5 :is a top" view .ofithe push buttons and push button plate or panel that maybe mounted the base.

vFig. 6 is a side view 'ofthe :push buttonplate with push buttons.

.Fig. 7 is a top-view 'of thedialand' dial plate that may be mounted-in the'basein place of the push buttons.

Fig. 8 is a side view -of the dial andrdi'al plate.

.Fig; 91s a view looking'idown on the base --mounting :plateon which the'baseshown :in' Fig. 1 .is fixedly mounted by'meazns of screws. Some of the telephone apparatus is shown mounted on tthe'ibase plate.

.:Fig..t 10" shows the base mounting plate of "Fig.

19- with a sectionalized view of the base of'Fig. 1 mounted thereon.

"*Fi-gsLll, 12, and '13'are different views of the handset which rests on the base.

Fig. 14 shows the'base with thehandset mounted thereon in. its normal restingfposition. (solid lines). "The dotted line hands'etillustrates. the

. handset in aposition-in whiclra telephonesub =6. Claims. (ar ive-ion} 1 scriber may 're1ease his hold on the handset-when replacing it on the base.

"Referringnow to 'Figs.1,'2, 3, 4, 10, and 14,

ime base 2 'of this telephone set 'is'o'f'the hard attractive, compact desk mounting telephone set 'whereof the handset will tend to move or guide j surfaced: one. piece moulded type construction which is common in the art. The'base is generally 'rectangularin shape" when viewed'from "the top with the exposed edges curved and rounded rather than square) The base is shorter than the handset which is held thereon, the

handset ends protruding over both ends of the 'base," and iswider than the handset. The base 12 isffo'rmed so as to have an opening I in the top thereof to mount a dial ,orpush button set transmitter nestle.

therein. On the ends of the base-2 are semisides of each depression are slits 4 which-are there for the purpose of allowing the ringing signal to pass out thru the base 2. Screw holes 5 and 9 are located in the base 2 for mounting the base on the base mounting plate. Located on the walls of the depression 3 are small ledges ll, there'being'a. ledge on either side of the depression near the end opening. Two shoulders or overhanging'edges lffl'extend outover the depression 6. A hole 'l thru'which the ho'okswitch plunger or lever extends is located injthe-wa'll of the cup 6. The bottom or floor 23 ofthe depression 6' has a gradual slope downward towardj'thei end opening'but is divided by a raised sec'tion 8 which extends horizontally outward with no downward slope.

An opening I 2 is locatedat the bottom of the base to allow the passage of the telephone wires therethru.

The .handsetl9 which is designed to becarried by the base 2 issho-wn in detailin Figs. 11,12, and '13. Theiform of the handset I9 is similarto those Wellknown in the art. The transmitter and receiver elements (not shown) are housed in opposite ends of the handset, and

"forourpurpose we may say that the. receiver element is located ,under housing 2| and the transmitter element under housing -20. The housing 20 is convex in shape and the'housing 2| .is slightly concave, the surfaces of both being .hard and smooth. The'housing 2| 'is moulded .so as tohave a raised ring shaped section =29 girding it. Holes 30 and slots 3| in the housings-2| and-20 allow the speech to pass-through.

Referring .to Figs. 9 and 10, the mounting plate 24 on which base 2 .mounts :isshownalong thereon. Tapped holes 25 are used to-mount the base 2 on the base plate 24. A pair of brackets 36 and 31 are mounted on the plate 24 and extend upward. The hookswitch lever 2'2 is pivotally mounted between brackets 36 and 31 atpoint 32 and extends outwardly through the opening I in the base 2 where it may be engaged by the ring-shaped section of the housing 2|. The hookswitch springs 23 engage the lever element 22 at point 39. The lever 22 is shown in the position it assumes when the handset has been removed from thebase 2, the spring tension of the hookswitch springs forcing the lever 22 out through'the opening I.

'A third bracket 38, U-shaped and shorter in height than the brackets 3t and 37, isv mounted at the'other end of the plate, the three brackets being used to mount the push button or dial plates so that the upper surface of the base, slants downfr'om the receiver holding end to the trans- Imitter holding end. Ringing apparatus comprising a bell is also shown mounted on the plate 24. Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 showa push button plate l3 and a dial plate it, either: of Which may be mounted on the base 2 through the opening I by means of screw holes I and..i8., Fig. shows positions of the handset l9 relative to the base 2. The dotted line shows the handset in a position that the user of the handset may place it immediately prior to releasing his hold on it.

cup The left end, of the handset I9 is thus 7 right hand end. As the handset moved to the right due to the housing 26 sliding down the walls 27, it also caused the ring shaped section 29 of housing 2i to engagethe switch spring lever 22 extending through the opening 7 and to move :the lever 22 to the right so as to cause operadepression 3 would not be as instrumental in.

thepush button plate mounted on the brackets.

Referring now to Fig. 14, there are shown two The solid line shows the handset in its final resting position on the base 2, the position which 'the handset has assumed due to the force of gravity and the interaction between the handset l9 and the base 2 after the user has released his hold on the handset It. The exact position of the handset l9 shown by the dotted line is not the onlyposition that the user may place it in just priorto releasing but this particular position has been shown merely for illustration.

- Referring now more particularly to the handset raised section 3 of 'the floor surface of the cup 6 fits into the concaved portion of the housing 2!. The raised section B will prevent the handset [9 from sliding downward to the left to thereby prevent-the housing 2| from sliding out of the cup 6 when the handset is released. When the handset is released, the end of the handset 'carrying housing '20 falls in an arc, the handset being pivoted at the points of contact 33 of the other end. As the handset I9 falls, the smooth surfaced edges 34 or 35 of the housing 28 come into contact with the smooth surfaced sloping walls 27 of the depression 3. The weight of the handset and thesmall coefficient of frictionbetween the housing 20 and the sloping walls 21 cause the housing 20 to slide down the walls 21 and as it moves down it also moves to the right untilfinally the edge 35 comes into contact with the supporting ledges II and the handset comes to rest. As the housing 28 moves down the walls 21, the handset moves to the right on thebase 2 and the'raised ring 29 of'housin'g2l is caused to move under the shoulders l0 overhanging the tion of the springs 23.

The particular telephone set shown can also be wall mounted in which case the base would be hung vertically with the end having'the cup.

depression 6 at the top and with the end having the cup depression 3 at the bottom. The handset would fit onto the base-in the same mannerbut it can be seen that the interaction of the smooth surfaced housing 26 and sloping walls'z'l of the causing the handset to operate the hookswitch and lock onto the base as in the case of desk a raised ring-shaped section girding theperiphery' of said receiver housing, a base for holding said handset mountable in either a vertical or a horizontal position, said base having a slanting front or upper surface, said base having a partially cup-shaped opening therein at the higher end of said slanting surface for receiving and holding said receiver housing and a second partially cupshaped opening therein at. the lower 'end for receiving and holding said transmitter housing, said first opening having a slot in a section of the wall thereof near to said second opening, a switch, a lever for operating said switch protruding through said slot into said first opening, a raisedridge on the bottom surface of said first opening designed to fit into the concave space of the receiver housing, a lip on said base extending inward over said first opening near the upper edge thereof, said second opening having its walls slanting inward toward the bottom thereof, said slanting upper surface and said slanting walls of the base when in the horizontal position acting in co-operation with the convex surface of said transmitter housing-due to the force of gravity when-the handset is placed on said base to move said handset horizontally on said base to thereby draw said receiver housing into said first opening soas to cause said ring shaped section to engage said lever and to move under said lip.

2. In a desk mounted telephone set, a handset including a transmitter housing on one end thereof and a receiver housing on the other end thereof, one of said housings extending convexly from said handset, a raised ring-shaped section girding the periphery of said other housing, a base for holding said handset in a horizontal position having cup-shaped depressions'therein into which said housings nestle when the handset is placed thereonythe walls of one of said cupshapeddepressions having a gradual inward slope, a pair of overhanging edges on said base extending over the other of said cup-shaped depressions, the handset and base being so constructed that when the handset is placed horizontally on the base with said other housing in said other cup-shaped depression in a position preparatory to releasing the handset, gravity will act, on release of the handset, to cause said one convex shaped housing to engage and slide along the sloped walls of said one cup-shaped depression to thus move downwardly and also horizontally, thus moving the ringed shaped section of the other housing under the overhanging edges which extend over the other cup-shaped depression to thereby cause the handset tolock onto the base.

3. In a desk mounted telephone set, a handset including a receiver housing on one end thereof and a transmitter housing on the other end, one of said housings being convex with respect to the handset, a ring-shaped section girding the periphery of the other housing, a base member for holding the handset when not in use having two cup-shaped depressions therein into which said housings fit, one of said depressions having smooth downwardly sloping walls, the other of said depressions having a hookswitch lever opening in the wall thereof, an overhanging edge on said base extending over said other cup-shaped depression, and a hookswitch lever which extends outwardly thru said opening when the handset is removed from said base, the handset and base being of such construction that when said other housing is placed in or near said other cupshaped depression with the handset extending over the base preparatory to releasingthe handset when placing it on the base, gravity acting on the handset causes the handset to drop on the base, said convex housing engaging said smooth sloping walls of said one depression and sliding therealong, thus causing said other housing to move in a horizontal direction in said other depression causing said ring-shaped section to slide under said overhanging edge to engage and move said hookswitch lever.

4. In a mounting for a handset telephone, a base containing the usual telephone instrumentalities, 'said'base having a sloping flat upper surface, a partially cup-shaped opening in the upper end of said surface having a lip extending inward near the upper edge thereof and a hook switch operating element in the opening under said lip, a second partially cup-shaped opening at the lower end of said surface having its'walls slanting inward toward the bottom thereof, said slanting walls of said second opening acting in cooperation with a convex surface on one of the ends of a handset when placed thereon, to draw the other end of the handset into said first cupshaped opening under said lip and into engage,- ment with said operating element.

5. In a handset telephone, a base plate for mounting the usual telephone instrument including a signal and a switch, a pair of brackets 6 extending upward from the base plate, an operating element for the switch mounted for pivotal action between said brackets, another bracket, a

second plate mounted on the upper ends of said brackets in an angular position relative to said base plate, a cover mounted on said base plate covering said instrument, said cover having a slanting upper surface parallel to said second plate and openings at both ends thereof for receiving the receiver and transmitter of the handset, the opening for receiving the receiver of the handset having an opening thru which said element projects, and. the other opening having a curved side wall sloping away from said receiver opening, said curved side wall acting on a correspondingly curved and slanting surface of the transmitter unit, when the handset is placed on the cover with the receiver in said first opening,

to move the handset horizontally along said cover to draw the receiver against said element,

6. In a combination desk and wall mounting telephone set, a handset including a transmitter housing and a receiver housing on opposite ends thereof, one of said housings being concave in shape, a raised ring-shaped section girding the periphery of said one housing, a base for holding said handset mountable in either a vertical or a horizontal position, said base having a partially cup-shaped opening therein at one end of said base for receiving and holding said one housing and a second partially cup-shaped opening thereing at the other end for receiving and holding said other housing, a raised ridge on the bottom surface of said first opening shaped to fit into the concave space of the one housing, a lip on said base extending inward over said first opening near the upper edge thereof, said second opening having its walls slanting inward toward the bottom thereof, said ridge acting in co-operation with the concave housing to hold said housing in said first opening when the handset is placed on said base, and said slanting walls of said second opening acting in co-operation with the surface of said other housing due to the force of gravity on the handset when placed on said base, when I said base is mounted horizontally, to move said handset horizontally on said base to thereby draw said one housing into-said first opening so as to cause said ring-shaped section to move under said lip. 1

THEODORE C. RIEBE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

